AN – thank you to so many people for getting me to 1000 reviews. You have no idea how awesome that made me feel. This chapter is double the length of most of the others as a thank you.
CullenGirl30, you were review number 1000, so thank you :D to pick my favourite review from last chapter was really hard. It is tied. Between ar080185 and XXXbloodyXheartXXX. Thank you guys, your reviews made me *squee*.
Here is chapter 21, I hope you like it. Please review at the end. They really do make me pretty damned happy.
Bella's POV
December 1st
For the first time in a while, I stepped out of Edward's Volvo to stare at the school. I had, for the most part, been doing my school work at home, with permission from the very willing principal. It had been difficult, being away from Edward during the weeks when he went to school. And I was jealous. He could take weeks at a time off, and still be set to graduate at the top of the class. Back to my original point though. Here I am, ready to walk into the school. Nearly half way through the year, heavily pregnant, and only just scraping passes in most of my classes. I was still around a B for biology, but everything else I was just on a C. All that mattered to me at the moment was making sure Charlotte would be ok in life. And to me, that meant both her parents getting through high school, so we could support her without the money that Carlisle and Esme would willingly give to us.
I had to come to school for the next two weeks. We were heading into final exams. It was just like every other semester I had been through. But something about this seemed so different. And I realise there was the obvious possible reason, but that just didn't seem like it. It was like there was something else. Something about being here felt bad. I pushed aside that feeling though, and took Edward's hand, walking toward the doors.
I felt an arm link through mine, and I looked to my side to see Alice grinning at me.
"Hey stranger. Long time no see."
I raised my eyebrows at Alice, trying to hold back a smile.
"Alice, I saw you yesterday, when I made the horrible mistake of not knocking on Jasper's door," I shuddered at the memory, "you're the one who decided to sleep at your own home last night" I pretended to be upset at Alice's decision to actually spend time with her parents. Anyone who hadn't been told differently would assume that Alice and Rosalie actually lived with the Cullen's. That was an understandable mistake to make. They were there 95% of the time.
Alice pouted at me. "Don't sulk Bella, it's unattractive." The sides of her lips twitched, and it was now a battle to see who could hold off the inevitable laugh first. I looked at her, trying to remain serious.
"Says she who throws a tantrum if she doesn't get to go shopping for the little one here" I said, nodded my head towards my stomach.
"Bella, Charlotte needs the best. I'm only trying to do my duty as Aunty Alice by buying her everything I possibly can before she's born."
She grinned. And then started laughing hard. I held back for as long as I could, but Alice laughing sent me into a fit of laughter as well. We stopped, and she let go of my arm to clutch her ribs as she laughed.
We didn't stop laughing until I realised that Edward had let go of my hand. I tried to straighten my face as I turned to look at him, but the expression on his face sent me into laughter again. He just looked so serious.
He rolled his eyes, before brushing his thumb over my cheek where tears were starting to leave trails. People always talk about laughing so hard you cry, but it only happened to me once before. Edward smiled a bit, before saying "you'll be ok with Alice from here?" I nodded my head " I'll see you in class then, my Bella. Be good please, and careful."
He leaned in, and kissed me. I snaked my hand through his hair, pressing my lips harder to his, my body working in overdrive. I ran my tongue over his bottom lip, before sucking it into my mouth, biting it gently. Edward moaned, and his mouth opened automatically, his hand starting to caress my side. I had forgotten about where we were and who was around us, and my hands flew to the top of his pants, ready to make the dive in, when we heard someone behind Edward clearing their throat loudly.
Edward quickly pulled away, turning around, while moving me in front of him quickly, to hide the bulge that was now more than obvious through his jeans. There stood Emmett, looking stunned, but also almost proud, and Rosalie, who was looking disturbed.
"Bella, I did not need to see you try to get your hands in Edward's pants this early in the morning. If ever for that matter," she said, shuddering for the added effect.
"Oh please, Rosalie, you and Emmett disturb us on a regular basis. You aren't one to be talking," I almost spat at her. I didn't mean to sound so angry, but my hormones were in overdrive, I was horny, and she'd just interrupted my first real contact with Edward in...Ok, well in about 3 hours, but I still wasn't thrilled we'd been interrupted. It was probably for the best though, give that we were standing just outside the school, with people starting to gather in the car park we were all standing in. "Sorry" I murmured, before turning to Edward again. "I'll see you in class, Edward." I gave him a chaste kiss, "I love you"
"I love you too, Bella. Try not to kill anyone ok?" he said, with a grin, moving before I could hit him. I glared at his retreating form.
"Come on Bella!" Alice said, already walking toward the building where I had home room.
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It was lunch time, and we were all sitting around the one table. I had my legs draped over Edward's and he was massaging my calves. The doctor had said this might help relieved some of the swelling that was making my feet the size of footballs, and I wasn't about to complain. The massaging felt damned good. I picked up my hot chocolate, and took a long sip. I missed coffee so much, but had found a whole new appreciation of hot chocolate and marshmallows. If you gave it a chance, it could wake you up just as much as coffee. You just had to get over your coffee addiction first. That was harder to do when everyone around you drank coffee by the vat. I looked around the table to see 3 empty cups in front of Alice.
That explains the advanced state of hyper she's in.
And a cup each in front of everyone, except Edward, who had given it up with me. Everyone was slaving over various pieces of paper in front of them. Edward and I on the other hand had already got all our assignments out of the way, now it was just exams, and I was prepared to sit here all day having Edward's hands work wonders on my legs as my mind wandered to better, dirtier, places.
"Hey, Edward..."
His head turned toward me slowly, looking at me with lust filled eyes. Apparently his mind had been elsewhere also.
"Do we have to go to math?"
Edward smirked, but pulled out the outline for this class. He looked over it for a moment before frowning. He looked at me disappointedly, "yeah. It says we're getting a revision sheet today, and a practise exam to take home and look over."
"Oh...damn..."
"Mmm...tonight?"
I nodded at him, before returning my thoughts to Edward making love to me.
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Edward and I got home later that afternoon, and barely made it into the bedroom before I had him pinned beneath me on the bed. I had long gotten over my insecurities about being naked in front of Edward. He all but worshiped my body, and it made me feel more beautiful that I ever had, even with my insanely huge belly, with the dark line down the center. Ok, maybe I was still a little insecure, but even so, I ripped my shirt over the top of my head and through it somewhere behind me. It wasn't long before all clothes were discarded, and I was gently kissing Edward's neck. He sat up slightly agains the headboard, and I positioned myself on top of him. This was the most comfortable position we had found.
One of Edward's hand softly and absently mindedly stroked the flesh of my belly, while the other massaged my breast. His breathing was ragged, fast, and shallow before I lowered myself onto him. When I did, he sucked in a sharp breath and held it, before letting it out as a long pleasured moan as I moved up and down on him.
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I woke up to the annoying ringing from my cell phone. Reaching over to the bedside table, I looked at the caller ID. I groaned, and answered, ready to kill someone.
"Alice, what the hell do you want?"
"Oh so cheery, Bella."
"Alice...before I kill you, what do you want?"
"It's a tiny bit physically impossible for you to kill me at this very moment. Anyway, Esme told me to tell you dinner is ready."
"So you called me?!"
"I didn't know if you were decent or not. You and Edward were...loud...earlier."
I rolled my eyes, and hit the hang up button. I untangled myself from Edward's arms, and lifted myself carefully off the bed. Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was nearly 7pm.
That explains my bladder killing me.
Edward and I made our way to the kitchen 10 minutes later the smell of roast chicken, and saw Esme just starting to serve up. Apparently she had had the forethought to give us and early warning.
"Mmm, Esme. That smells amazing." I said, as she smacked Emmett's hand away from the two chickens sitting on the counter top.
"Rosalie, can you get Emmett out of here please? Before he eats all the food." Esme turned to Rosalie, almost pleading with her. It was funny. This happened every dinner time, and yet it was still amusing to watch Emmett sulk like a child denied his favourite toy, and Esme scold him like her was a toddler.
21st December
"You have no idea how glad I am the semester is finally over!" Alice flopped down on the bed next to me, as Edward gave her an incredulous look.
"Yes I do, Alice. Why are you on my bed?" he asked, to which Alice simply poked out her tongue at him.
"It's Bella's bed too, Edward. And she doesn't mind, do you Bella?" she looked toward me, grinning.
Way to put me on the spot. To side with Edward, or to side with Alice? Well...Alice is likely to annoy me more if I don't agree...Alice it is...
"Not really." I looked at Edward, silently apologised. He nodded, the sides of his lips twitching. He probably saw the internal battle going on, and knew exactly where my answer was coming from.
I stood up, and continued folding the washing that I had been doing all afternoon. I had left school around midday, after my last exam. I made a mental note to never leave the washing for two weeks ever again. Who would've thought I could go through so much clothing? Edward had tried to get me to sit down while he folded it, but gave up pretty soon after I threatened to stab him to death if he didn't stop worrying so damned much about me. I'm fairly sure that he wasn't sure if I would go through with it or not, but obviously he decided not to risk it, and had settled for putting it away as I folded. All of a sudden I felt an ache in my back and abdomen, like I was getting my period. Just a few seconds later, it relaxed. I shook my head, and dismissed it, continuing with the washing. It happened again about fifteen minutes later, and I narrowed my eyes a little, and winced.
"Bella? What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, Edward. My back just hurts a bit. I think I'll lie down for a bit..."
Alice jumped up off the bed where she'd made herself comfortable, and pulled back the covers for me to get in. I slid into the covers, and got myself comfortable. Edward brought me up a warm cup of tea, and sat down next to me.
"Are you sure you're ok, Bella?"
"Yeah, I was probably just standing up for a bit..." I winced again as another pain came, and worry struck across Edward's face.
"Bella, I'm getting Carlisle. I'll be back in a minute. Don't move, please?"
I nodded at him, relaxing as the pain started to subside again.
I couldn't be...could I?
Carlisle and Edward came up the stairs and into the room.
"Ok, Bella. Where are you getting the pains?"
I sat up in the bed, and motioned around my abdomen "there" and moved my hands to my back, "and also about there on my back..."
I looked up at Carlisle, and bit my lip nervously. He narrowed his eyes at me.
"What do they feel like?"
"Um...I guess kind of like an ache? Like I'm getting my period..."
"Bella, you might be going into labour. I think we should go to the hospital."
AN – Yes, I did just leave it there. I am super nervous about this chapter. I'm not sure how I did, so please review, and tell me what you think?